Safety apparatus for mine-cars and the like.



H. HOUSEKNECHTf SAFETY APPARATUS FOR MINE CARS AND THE LIKE.-

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 25, I915.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916 {fin are? Jl'ouiebaecht THE COLUMBIA PLMWOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

as PATENT HOWARD HOUSEKNECHT, OF FRLEELAND, PENNSYLVANIA;

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR MINE-CARS AND THE LIKE. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916 Application filed June25, 1915. Serial No. 36,405.

safety apparatus for mine cars and the like.'

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide safety apparatus for mine cars whereby downward movement of the car on a gradient will be prevented in the event of the hauling cable breaking and whereby the car will be held stationary on the trackway as long as the hauling cable is broken or slack.

It is also my purpose to provide apparatus of the class described which will be held inactive as long as the hauling cable remains intact and which will be connected with such cable and operate automatically on the breaking of the cable to lock the car on the trackway, thereby preventing the descent of the car on a gradient.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is abottom'plan view of a mine car equipped with the safety apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the car and trackway. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1. I

Referring now to the drawing is detail, 1, l'designate the parallel lines of rails of a mine car trackway, while Q-indicates a mine car adapted to traverse the lines of rails 1, 1.

Disposed between the lines of rails 1, 1 of the trackway on each inclined portion of the trackway are safety rails 3 disposed adjacent to the inner sides of the respective lines of rails 1 and preferably of a height greater than the similar dimension of the track rails.

In accordance with my present invention, the side sills of the car 2 at the forward end of the car are formed with transversely alining slotsl and disposed within the slots 4 are the ends of a draw bar 0 extending trans- .versely of the car and equipped centrally with a U-shaped yoke'6 connected with the hook 7 on the car end of the hoisting cable 8. Passed through aliningopenings in the draw bar 5 and the end sills immediately behind the draw bar are bolts 9 spaced apart equal distances transversely of the car and threaded onto the forward ends of the bolts 9 are nuts 10 respectively bearing against the outer side of the draw bar 5, while threaded onto the rear end of the bolts 9 are nuts 11 respectively and surrounding each bolt 9 between the nut 11 and the rear edge'of the adjacent end sillof the car is a coiled expansion spring 12 acting normally to slide the draw bar 5 toward the rear ends of the slots 4 against the action of the hauling rope. Secured to the inner edges of the respective side sills of the car at a point approximately centrally of the length of the car' are depending hangers 13 and pivotally connected to'the lower ends of the hangers 13 are horizontal bell crank levers 14, each having one limb projecting toward the rear end of the car and the other limb projecting toward the longitudinal center line of the car and formed on the extremities of the rearwardly projecting limbs of the respective bell crank levers are outwardly extending dogs 15 adapted to bite into the safety rails 3, 8, while connected with the inner extremities of the remaining limbs of the bell crank levers through the medium of pin and slot connections 16 areth'e opposite extremities, respectively, of a cross bar 17., Connected with the bar'17is a yoke 18 and projecting from the yoke 18is a connecting arm 19 extending toward the front end of the car and having the forward extremity thereof secured to the rear end of the central bolt 9.

In practice, as long as the cable 8 remains taut, the springs 12 are contracted and the dog ends of the bell crank levers held out of engagement with the safety rails 3. When, however, the cable '8 breaks or becomes slack the springs 12 react and slide the bolts 9 and the draw bar 5 rearwardly and in the rearward movement of the center bolt 9 a like motionis imparted to the rod 19, thereby pushing the bar 17 rearwardly with the effect to swing the bell crank levers 14 about safety rails 3, thereby holding the car against backward. movement on the tracka way.

I claim In safety apparatus for mine cars, safety ment therein longitudinally of the car, a connection between the first-'inentioned cross bar and the last-mentioned bar, a connection between the last-mentioned bar and the haulingrope, and springs connected to the last-named bar and acting against the hauling rope to force thedogs into engagement with said safety rails in the event of the breaking of the hauling rope.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOWARD: HOUSEKNECHT.

Witnesses:

F QS R HQU EKN QHT, SAMUEL EMERSON HOUSEKNEQHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each by addressing the--Gon1 miss1fonerof Patents.

' Washington, D. (3.? 

